The aseptic work with instruments such as scalpels, tweezers, spatulas, scissors, tongs and needles is a prerequisite, for certain works not only in human, dental, veterinary medicine, but also in certain fields of biotechnology, in laboratories, in which plant and animal tissues are being propagated in vitro, or on which certain manipulations are being made. To these classic fields in which aseptic work is necessary on a regular and repetitive basis, others were added during recent years. This is because of the existing or possible contamination with infectious, dangerous pathogens (for example the HIV virus). To the new fields belong, for example, cosmetic works and operations, for which disinfection of the working tools are more and more requested.
The disinfection of instruments such as scalpels, tweezers, spatulas, scissors, tongs and needles (without excluding with this enumeration other tools) is essentially possible in different ways. In hospitals, medical, dental and veterinary cabinets one uses in particular the sterilization under pressure (1 atm) and heat (110.degree.-120.degree. C.) during 20 to 60 minutes in so-called autoclaves, or sterilization in hot air incubators with 200.degree. C., during 3-4 hours. While these procedures are reliable for achieving asepsis, they are, from the point of view of the cost of the sterilization apparatus, the time period (20 minutes up to several hours) and the space needed, relatively expensive and therefore not accessible for everyone and not usable in every working environment. This is the reason why the sterilization of instruments with autoclaves and hot air sterilizers has been used up to date almost exclusively in well-equipped hospitals, cabinets and laboratories, with sufficient financial means and space.
Particular problems with the sterilization of instruments occur however, where, as a result of lack of space (for example in the relatively small aseptic hoods, the so-called laminar flow cabinets), or within an often repeated procedure, the same instruments have to be sterilized over and over again within a short period of time, as is the case, for example, in the work with aseptic cell and tissue cultures in the biotechnological laboratory. In this work for the sterilization of the instruments one uses mostly the flame (bunsen burner) followed by dipping the instrument in a cooling, aseptic liquid. This procedure is also reliable with regard to achieving asepsis. However, it leads on one hand to undesirable depreciation effects on the repeatedly heated instruments. On the other hand, the procedure bears a considerable risk for burn-type accidents because of the use of flame. The latter, in particular, if the aseptic liquid is inflammable, as for example the often used 70% ethanol.
The sterilization of instruments, therefore, is a problem, where, as a result of lacking financial means, expensive apparatus for sterilization cannot be bought at all, or not in a sufficient quantity, and where as a consequence the sterilization process is insufficient or omitted so that an increased risk for the transmittance of pathogens exists.